HOW TO MAKE THE MEDIA LOVE YOU
More Good Stuff You Need to Know
There\’s nothing more intoxicating to the media than someone who has a powerful message, a strong brand and great delivery.
You never want to miss an opportunity when the media shoot their cupid\’s arrow in your direction so it\’s up to you to shine and show that you\’re ready for a date with destiny.
To do that, you need to be media ready and raring to go.
U.S. House of Representatives member Nancy Pelosi had it right when she famously said: “Organize, don\’t agonize”, which here we will take to refer to your media materials.
Organizing your materials will take the agony out of any last-minute deadline – and you should be 80% ready to go at any time. Everything needs to be done yesterday when it comes to the media.
So how do you get the media to fall in love with you?
Here are six ways to woo your way into the spotlight…
TELL A STORY
The media love, love, love a story. They fill their air, websites and pages with them – but it has to be sensational. It has to offer something unique and it has to be entertaining, and it must work for their audience (their audience, not just yours). In today’s media landscape, journalists often need quotes, numbers, visuals, links, photo/video assets and facts to fully tell a story. If you can find a great story, tell it with dramatic flair, tell it with conviction and back it up with a few key assets, the media will bear hug you.
BE A CONTRARIAN
Do you have the opposite of a popular view? Controversy is a very important part of the media landscape and will often get you coverage. Good journalists must provide contrasting points of view for balance. It takes balls to present an unpopular viewpoint, but if you’ve got one for good reason, step forward – and do it thoughtfully, fairly and clearly. Also, be entertaining. If you\’re going to fight for the opposite, and sometimes less popular side, do it with passion, humor and a winning smile. The media wants to hear it!
BUST A MYTH
Can you answer a question, bust a myth or come up with something that no-body has ever seen or heard before? Are you the solution to a problem a specific group has been searching for? If you can bust a myth or come up with something new that covers exciting and unchartered territory you will immediately make yourself an in-demand media darling. If you can prove that an apple a day DOESN\’T keep the doctor away, let the media know!
TELL STORIES WITH PURPOSE
Long reach media campaigns take time. You don\’t just get your thoughts into someone’s head much less persuade them to be in your tribe or to buy overnight. Much like a romance it takes a little time to woo. As in writing a story, you\’re trying to get people to see a clear picture and that requires patience from you in communicating with your audience. Don\’t tell them something in an effort to feel like you\’re doing something. Focus on telling the right stories and do it with conviction.
BE VISUALLY PREPARED
You should always be seen joyfully celebrating your professional life across your your social media platforms but the media will also expect you to provide them with up-to-date visuals. To hand you should have a recent professional headshot as well as photographs that show you at work, and with your team. Plus, you will also need to provide any relevant online content (videos, graphs), photos of your consumers using your products and pictures of the solution in action. Offer the media this visual smorgasbord and they will be putty in your hands.
SPEAK IN SOUND BITES
What is your one-line pitch for your story? Don’t ramble. Get to the point. Better yet, make me sit up and take notice. And then, make it so damn good it bears repeating. And your sound bite should be so succinct that it can be repeated verbatim with impact even when others are telling it for you. If you can sum up your sensational story in 15 memorable seconds, the media will not only bear hug you, but also take you out for a steak dinner.
Follow these six steps for a media romance that will flourish and fly!
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY FROM BLACK INK PR!
